Crime jag linked to bath salts

SANDPOINT — A Sagle woman racked up a litany of charges Saturday after apparently having a psychotic reaction to narcotics.

Heather Meadow Phillips is charged with burglary, second-degree arson, simple battery, battery on a law officer, driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a collision. She made an initial appearance in Bonner County Magistrate Court via video feed from the jail.

Judge Lori Meulenberg set Phillips’ bail at $15,100, appointed a public defender to represent her and entered an order forbidding her from contacting the alleged victim in the case.

The alleged victim, 35, told sheriff’s deputies that Phillips came onto his property, barged into his residence on Shop Road and took items. When he intervened, Phillips allegedly threw a powder substance on him, according to a probable cause affidavit. Phillips left the residence and proceeded to drive her Ford sport utility vehicle through a large chain-link fence and crash into two parked vehicles. The affidavit further alleges that Phillips set fire to the interior of one of the vehicles she crashed into.

Phillips, 43, turned up at Stacey’s Country Kitchen along U.S. Highway 95 and was described as acting erratically and had mentioned bath salts, which may refer to a number of recreational designer drugs known to cause hallucinations.

While being taken into custody, Phillips allegedly kicked a deputy. Phillips was charged with battery for throwing the powdered substance on the alleged victim. That substance was determined to be some type of detergent, the affidavit said.

The alleged victim said he had no idea who Phillips was, according to court documents. Phillips said she had no idea who the alleged victim was when the court advised her of the no-contact order on Monday.

Court documents indicate that they believe Phillips was under the influence of methamphetamine and bath salts because of her combative and delusional behavior. A toxicology report in the case is pending.